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Former LOHS cheerleader charged with sex trafficking

Julia Haner accused of recruiting a former classmate to work as a prostitute

A former Lake Oswego High School student and cheerleader has been indicted on charges of sex trafficking a minor and transporting the minor to Washington for the purpose of prostitution.

An official from the U.S. Attorneys Office in Portland contacted representatives from Lake Oswego High School and Lake Oswego School District on Monday concerning the indictment of Julia Lynn Haner, 19, and 30-year-old co-defendant Konrod Steven Mason  who does not appear to be connected to LOHS  said Nancy Duin, a spokeswoman for the school district. Haner and Mason were booked Monday into the Multnomah County Inverness Jail in Portland, where they were held as of Wednesday.

Haner is charged with recruiting a 17-year-old female former LOHS classmate to work as a prostitute. The victim is not currently attending the high school.

Haner also has been charged with the recent recruitment of a 20-year-old female Haner knew because they used to cheer together. Duin said district officials were told this victim did not attend LOHS.

The incidents occurred from about Feb. 28 and March 11, according to the indictment.

Duin said she would offer more information as it becomes available, and a representative from the U.S. Attorneys office in Portland could not be reached as of press time.

Haner was an LOHS student in the 2011-12 school year and took one class a day during the 2012-13 school year. She did not graduate from LOHS.

We dont give up on our kids just because theyve made choices that we wish they wouldnt have made, Lake Oswego School District Superintendent Bill Korach said. So, I feel for the family and for the situation that shes gotten into with the choices that shes made, and what I think is really important for us right now is we work with ... our kids to reinforce that the choices you make in your life are really important.

During the 2011-12 school year, Haner was an LOHS cheerleader, and she also was on a non-school competitive cheer team.

Terrie Sheik, who is finishing out her 12th year as LOHS cheer team head coach, said Haner tried out for the cheer squad in 2011 and that fall was a great time for her. Haner was a talented tumbler who loved to cheer, Sheik said.

One of the fondest memories I have of Julia is when the student body would chant Julia-Julia-Julia to get her to throw her tumbling passes, Sheik said.

LOHS Principal Cindy Schubert, who was assistant principal back in 2012-13 when Haner attended the school, said Sheik and other school employees had reached out to Haner and tried to help her graduate.

Our hearts go out to Julia and her family and the victims and their families, Schubert said. I think thats where our thoughts are right now as well as supporting our kids.

There has been some mudslinging and misinformation about Haner, and the cheer team is feeling vulnerable right now, Schubert said.

This has nothing to do with our cheerleading squad, she said. Saying shes a current cheerleader (and student) here in our building...thats not true.

An email has been sent to parents about the situation, and teachers shared what had happened with their students during first period Tuesday, Schubert said. She is speaking with school health teachers about possibly adding a film to the curriculum called Chosen, a sex trafficking prevention video for youth about two teenage girls tricked into becoming a part of the sex industry.

Bruce Plato, who was principal at the time Haner was at LOHS, said he also remembers how hard staff worked to keep Haner involved in school.

Its really disheartening because we work so hard with our students, and we care about our students, Plato said.